Improvement in inhalers



c.` n. HUNTER el 5E. sjwoons.

Inhalers.

Patented Juiy15 AM. pHoro-L/TMUGHAPH/c cn, Mwamomvf moaess) CLIFTON'D. HUNTER AND EBASTUS S. WOODS, OF MARLBOROUGH, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN INHALERS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 1110,52 S, dated July 15, 1873; application led r May 31, 1873.

Totali whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLIFTON D. HUNTER and ERAsTUS S. WOODS, of Marlborough, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Inhalers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference belng had toA the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an inhaler constructed in accordance with our invention. i

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the saine.

This invention has for its object to prevent the liquid contained in the main receptacle of an inhaler from rising in the inlet-tube and mixing with the contents of the acid-vessel in case a person should accidentally breathe or blowinto the exhaust-tube; and consists in the application to a T- shaped tube of an inhaler of a valve so constructed and applied as to open outward on blowing or breathing into the exhaust-tube, thus allowing the air to escape, and preventing it from exerting a pressure upon the liquid in theJ main receptacle, which would cause the liquid to rise in the inlet-tube and mix with the contents of the acid-vessel.

To enable others skilled in the art to unden stand and use our invention, we will proceed to describe the manner in which we have carred it out.

In the said drawings, A represents the main receptacle for containing the medicated liquid. B is the stopper, of rubber or other suitable material, provided with a passage, a, for the reception of the exhaust or inhaling tube O, through which the vapor is inhaled. b is the inlet-tube, which passes throughthe stopper and nearly down-to the bottoni ot the main receptacle, the upper end of this tube being bent, as seen, to receive the fumes of the muriatic acid in the vessel c placed 1n a cavity in the stopper B, and thus, as the air is exhausted from the receptacle A by the act of inhaling, the fumes of the acid are drawn down the inlet-tube b, and, passing through the medicated liquid containing a -suie'tllquautity of concentrated aqua ammonia, combine therewith and form the vapor to be inhaled.

The vertical portion 10 of the exhaust-tube above the stopper is provided at lts top with a horizontal branch, l1, at one end of which is a valve, e, opening outward, while to its opposite end is secured the mouth-piece 12,

through which the vapor is inhaled; and durv ing this operation the. valve e is tightly closed by the pressure of the external air, as a-vacuunl is created within the branch ll. Should, however, any one breathe or blow into the mouth-piece of the exhaust-tube, the valve c will be instantly opened, allowing the air to escape at this point, the current of air passing through the horizontal branch 11 over the mouth or upper open end of the vertical portion 10 of the exhaust-tube, producing an upward current therein, and, consequently, no portion of the air blown into the mouthpiece can, by any possibility, pass .down into the main receptacle and exert a pressure upon the medicated liquid therein; and all liability is thus avoided of the liquid being forced up the inlet-tube into the acid-vessel, whichmixture of the acid and medicatedliquid destroys their power of generating vapor, and necessitates the emptying of the apparatus and a fresh supply of medicated liquid and acid, what is frequently required in inhalers as heretofore constructed, and which is a great objection to their use.

Instead of employing an exhaust-tube constructed as above described, and provided with a valve, an ordinary exhaust-tube might be used, and thestopper B or main receptacle provided with a valve 'opening outward into the external air, in which case, should a perf son breathe or blow into the exhaust-tube, the

air would pass down into the main receptacle, but would instantly escape through the valve before it could exert any pressure upon the medicated liquid. This device is, however, but a-n equivalent of that first described, and either may be used, as preferred.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The T- shaped tube, the under portion 10 of which enters the stopper, while the horizontal` portion 1l hasat one end the elastic tube O and at the other end avvalve, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witness our hands this 27th day of May, A. D. 1873.

CLIFTON D. HUNTER. ERASTUS S. WOODS.

In presence of# WILLIE A. ONTHAUK, HERMAN S. Fav. 

